Ridgewood Turkey Trot 8k

As planned, I ran the Ridgewood Turkey Trot 8k on Thanksgiving morning. My time was not as good as last year, but wasn't far from PR'ing. I ran the whole time, in spite of my annoying knee. I saw several people I knew. I was thankful that it wasn't as cold as last year's race. They offered packet pick-up the day before, so I didn't have to bother with it that morning. They told us not to park at the shopping center (right by the starting line), so I parked farther out than last year. It was nice not to have to go back to the car to put up my stuff. This was my second time running this race. It's nice to burn off your turkey, or ham or mac and cheese...before you eat it! :)

My OBX Marathon Story

I ran my first marathon on Sunday, November 13. It was at the Outer Banks and went from Kitty Hawk to Kill Devil Hills to Nags Head to Manteo. The weather was on the warm side, but absolutely gorgeous. I've enjoyed great weather during each of my races there. I tried to distance myself mentally to keep from being nervous. It worked. My plan, which I stuck to, involved using a beeping timer. I alternated one minute walking to one minute running. This method did a great job of conserving my energy level. I saw Jockey's Ridge, Kitty Hawk and Nags Head Woods and the Wright Brothers memorial. My knee started hurting pretty early, but I kept pushing on. I am now dealing with a slighly swollen knee, but it was worth it. Go ahead, think that I'm crazy. All runners are. I did stop at several medic tents. I dealt with it for a little while before getting it taken care of. I got it wrapped and used Biofreeze gel several times. Although the one/one pattern of running and walking wasn't fast, it worked wonderfully. In the future, I can increase the number of minutes spent running. I was surprised at how fast the race seemed to go. All of the supporters, friends and strangers, were a welcome sight. There was a person in a shark suit. Last year, I hugged whomever that was. One of the most welcome sights was a fellow runner from Oakmont Runners for Bo. I saw Craig not long before mile 26. He hung with me until the last mile marker. When I saw the finishing arch, I booked it. My knee just didn't matter anymore. Right before I saw Craig, I chatted a bit with a lady from Raleigh. I mentioned that I just wanted to say some really bad things...long races and knee pain, well, I had some choice language in mind. I definitely plan on running another one. Right now, I want to run the OBX marathon next year. If you think that you could never do it, think again. Before I considered running, I would've never imagined conquering the things that I have. Here's a touch of irony...maybe that's the right word. Yesterday, I saw a number of people running on the way home. I thought, darn it, I would love to be one of them right now. Then I saw a movie; two of the characters ran in a 5k. I've never said that I love running, but knowing that I can't just makes me want to. Ready or not, I'm competing in an 8k on Thanksgiving...try and stop me. ;) On December 4, I am running in a local 10-miler. Other than that, I'm going to take it easy on the running and exercise. I plan to do some swimming and pool running to keep my endurance up.

A Week in the Life of Valerie

Valerie had a big week and I thought that she deserved her own post. Without getting into the yucky details, my little kitty has a bladder infection. She is currently on an antibiotic. Two trips (three if you count picking up the meds), she is on the way to recovery. Here are some pictures from her week.


Valerie's half-bald tummy, courtesy of her ultrasound

Valerie didn't seem to notice it, but I was trying to steer cleer of
the puppy.


Why am I back here? This is NOT my house.


Posing with a sick little one.

ECU vs. USM

I don't need to share the result of the game or talk about the halftime incident. I think that everyone is very aware of those things. To start out, I tailgated with Marc and Shelley again, along with a few of their friends. We feasted on some delicious barbeque chicken, which you can see in the video. We also dug into the chips and dip. Thanks to Roy for sharing his Crock-Pot of hamburger dip. Everyone loved it. I brought cream cheese and salsa dip. The recipe for cc/salsa is 1 block of cream cheese and add in some salsa. There is a specific amount, but I just pour some in. There were also some chicken sausages and potato salad. The potato salad didn't have relish...yay! That made me very happy. The chicken was in honor of our match against Southern Miss. Needless to say, no one went hungry. The tailgate was cool and windy, so the lot didn't fill up as quickly as usual. Also, given the game, a lot of people left early. We had a much easier time leaving. No matter the result, it's always great to go to a game at Dowdy-Ficklen.

Monster Dash 8k

On Sunday the 30th, I ran in the first annual Greenville Monster Dash 8k. As you can see, I went as Bat Girl. There were a lot of great costumes: Luigi, Waldo (where's Waldo), a turkey, ice cream sundaes. I was amazed at the creativity. I even had someone to come out there and watch me. Thanks to Tim Garris for taking one of the above pictures. He sat just past the start and got shots of several of us GoRunners. It was great to see some others from the group out there. The post-race food was pretty good. I tried some BBQ and a roll from Texas Roadhouse. Coldstone had ice cream, but I had already gotten my sweet fix by that point. It was a great race and I was pleased with my time: 51:18. That's an average pace of 10:20. All of that torture called speedwork is paying off.

Sweet potato festival

Last Thursday, I went with a friend to the NC Sweet Potato Festival. It's in Snow Hill. If you're not from around here, that's in big 'ol Greene County, not far from Pitt. I rode tame rides, an upside down ride, sat in a few tractors...a an eventful evening, to say the least. This is a picture of me ''driving'' one of the tractors. I think that's as close to driving one as I need to get. I had a hot dog and some sweet potato ribbon fries for supper. Fun night!

Costume party/bonfire

A few of the 20's/30's community groups got together for a bonfire. It was also a costume party, with Halloween being a few days away. The costume winners were Aladdin and little Abu (the monkey), a Smurf and Batgirl. I feel like I'm leaving someone out...please let me know who that is. I was Batgirl and won the scariest costume category. Some of us also checked out the haunted garage next door. Brad and Christie's neighbors set it up. It wasn't scary enough for me. Oh, well. I never did get a really good scare this Halloween. The s'mores supplies included Reese's cups. Someone suggested those once and I now bring them to every bonfire. p.s.- I finished off the bag myself and it was yummy! In case you're wondering, my ''scariest costume'' prize was a big purple hat. We had two fires going and managed to stay pretty comfortable on a cool fall evening.

ECU homecoming game

Before the game, Marc, Shelley and I browsed/shopped in a few local stores. It was fun checking out the ECU baby gear. Baby Birkenmeyer will be a stylish little pirate. We then met up with Curtis and Patricia at Parker's. It was a great meal, followed by a great game. It was a cold one and many people didn't stay for all of it. I was bundled up and had a great time. GO PIRATES!

ECU vs. Navy

We watched this game from Buffalo Wild Wings- aka BW3's. I really get into the games and yell a lot. I scared the boys a little. Darrin, Roy, Ricky and I watched it together. It turned out to be a great game. Navy almost pulled it off, but we brought home the victory. What a game! Not bad food, either. ;)

Operation Inasmuch

Our group served New Directions, an organization that helps victims of domestic violence. First, we worked at their family center. Some people did yardwork. The rest of us were inside. We organized the playrooms and cleaned toys. Next, we headed to the Safe House. We cleaned out a storage area. The donations had really piled up over time. We did some yard work over there as well. There's so much yard work left that we plan to return. It was a great day and the weather couldn't have been better.

Emerald City Half-Marathon

(Picture taken by Tim Garris)
My next big shebang was running in the Emerald City Half-Marathon. It took place right here in Greenville. Greenville, Emerald City, get it? After a few miles, I felt like I was in a pretty good groove. Part of it was on the greenway. We would've spent more time there, but Hurricane Irene took care of that. I could really tell, when viewing my results, that speedwork (AKA torture) had paid off. I had friends running it, some of them bit crazy (two half-marathons in one weekend). I happened upon our mayor while running (was a college professor of mine). The weather was perfect and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. In case you're wondering, my time was 2:20:58, whch is a 10:45/mile pace.

Camp Don Lee

The weekend after the UNC game, some TRU staff and I took some youth to Camp Don Lee. TRU stands for Tobacco.Reality.Unfiltered. It is the statewide teen tobacco prevention movement. At the last minute, shirts came in and one of our speakers pulled through. The kids had trainings to attend, but were also able to participate in camp activities. We also had a bonfire and s'mores on the last night. I fell out of my chair at breakfast one morning, but that's another stoy. I got the chance to canoe, which is always fun. I roomed with Nikki, Lauren and one of my former TRU members (college student). Needless to say, I definitely took some time off after returning. It was worth it, but someone else can be in charge next time! ;)

ECU vs. UNC

For the ECU vs. UNC game, I had the chance to tailgate with Marc and Shelley. Their friends Curtis, Patricia and Nicole joined us. They have gotten tailgating down to an art. We had burgers, hotdogs an some great snacks. Curtis made an amazing salsa...love it! They were also kind enough to come pick me up. It was nice not having to mess with parking or walking. Before I sound totally lazy, I did run that morning. It was a late game, so I knew that I wouldn't want to run in the a.m. Sadly, the game didn't turn out so hot. I love my boys, but they just didn't pull it off that day. At any rate, I love the atmosphere in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. You just can't beat the purple haze, the cannon and the very realistic-looking pirate. Purple...gold!

Wilson County Fair

This was my first county fair. My friend Roy was mentioning his plans to go. I commented that I'd never been to one (growing up around Raleigh, it was the state fair for us). So we headed out there on opening day. It was small, but we really enjoyed it. We just missed a pig competition. I was actually a little disappointed. We saw everything from decorated pumpkins to photos to science experiments. I also learned random facts about pigs and goats, as well as how sweet potatoes are grown. We saw chickens, goats, alpacas and rabbits. We had Chic-fil-a for supper; I figured with that, I knew what I was getting. Fun night!

ECU vs. UAB

This wasn't the washout that we hoped for, but a win is a win. We did a better jobf catching than with the previous two games. It was family weekend and it was a good crowd, as usual. I didn't tailgate that day, but was still able to go to the game (a friend's dad had passed away and I felt I needed to attend the visitation. I spent $7 on nachos and water. Really, Megan? That's what I keep asking myself. It was a muggy day, but we hung in there. Nothing new for pirate football. I enjoy where I sit; I have some of the same seatmates as last year. That's the beauty of getting the same seat from one year to the next. Sorry not to have more details. My next football post will have a little more excitement...promise. GO PIRATES!

ECU vs. VT- 9/10/11

This was the first home game of the season. I'm sure you know how it turned out, but they didn't lose too badly. It's always a great atmosphere. I love the cannon and the purple haze. It gets me downright giddy. I tailgated with Campus Crusade for Christ. One of my college buddies, Jeff, happened to be there. We had quite a spread of food and the company was great, too. I kept saying, ''hi, I'm Megan. I'm an alum.'' Yep, been out for a while. It was a hot one, but that's pretty typical for ECU football. It was our second game of the season and also our second match against a highly ranked team. GO PIRATES!!

Harris Teeter Doubles and Triples

I've had quite a shopping week. I spent $77.51 on all of this! I saved $71.68! That's almost 52% in savings!


Not pictured: The tuna that I seem have left the store without and two packs of fruit (used those for something).


Trip #1- Tuesday- Saved over 52%
4 cans of soup
2 jars of pasta sauce
1 can of non-stick spray
2 boxes of cat litter
2 packs of turkey pepperoni
2 packs of shredded cheese

Total= 26.81
Saved 24.20

Trip #2- Wednesday (Start of triple coupons)- Saved over 45%
1 box of cat litter
1 box of cereal
3 boxes of tissue
3 packs of fruit cups
1 bottle of jelly
2 boxes of boil-in-bag rice
2 jars of salsa

Tota1= $18.89
Saved= $22.58

Trip #3 Friday (none of my coupons tripled, but most doubled)- Saved over 54%
1 bottle of jelly
1 pack of diaper wipes (gift)
1 pack of napkins (100 ct)
2 cans of crescent rolls
1 jar of pasta sauce
1 half gallon of milk
1 pack of sandwich meat
2 air freshener cones
1 bottle of BBQ sauce
2 packs of shredded cheese
3 packs of 80% lean ground beef (over one pound each)
1 pack of tuna

Total= 31.51
Saved= 25.98

Labor Day Weekend

It started with a day at the pool. Mama and I hung out with her best friend, Donna. The pool was actually pretty peaceful and not too crowded. My mom rocks. She picked up tuna subs for lunch from Jimmy John's. That's another one of those places to visit if you haven't eaten there. Sunday, I overslept. Oops. I made it to Sunday school, though. We had a Mexican lunch with Matt and Brittany. That night, they had us over for a rib supper. We also had coconut cake, bread, pasta salad and something that I don't remember what to call it. I ate with a dog down beside me and a cat behind me. The dog was the only reason that the cat didn't join us. She's not a large animal, but is quite the garbage disposal.

East Wake High Reunion

My classmates and I gathered for our 10-year reunion. We took in the East Wake vs. Wake Forest-Rolesville game. It was rainy, so we ducked out early for our next stop: BW3's. Saturday brought more rain...lovely Hurricane Irene. We moved it from Baileywick Park in Raleigh to Tayler Wright's house. Tayler was our class president and the main organizer. Lunch was barbeque from a local restaurant. That night, we had a private party at White Collar Crime in downtown Raleigh. Until 10, it was closed to the public. We had a DJ and supper from Amedeo's. If you've never been to Amedeo's, you should. It's near State. We had a great time catching up. It made me want to keep in touch better and get together with people when I'm back in town.

Grocery deals: week of 8/21-8/27

Trip to Harris Teeter:
2 boxes of Cheerios
2 toilety items

Grand total: 9.38
Total saved: 10.24

*Bonus- I received a.05 rebate by using a Green Bag. It was one of the HT reusable grocery bags. I'm not sure that they give you a rebate for any random ''green'' (cloth) bag. That was either included in my total saved or put on my VIC card for use on a future purchase. Neato. I may have done some other shopping, but this pretty much sums it up.

Grocery deals: week of 8/14-8/20

I made a few trips to Harris Teeter. Check out my savings

2 boxes of Honey Nut Chex
2 boxes of Kelloggs Frosted Mini Wheats (touch of fruit)
2 tubes of Crest Whitening Expressions
1 bottle of L.A. Looks Hair Gel
1 pack of Dial soap (3 bars)
1 jug of Purex (50 oz)
1 jar of Smucker's grape jelly
and...a couple of other things

My grand total was:$14.51
Amount saved with sales and coupons: $30.51

You just hafta love super doubles! :)

Steals and Deals from this week

1 carton of organic milk
2 jugs of detergent
2 boxes of cereal
11 tubes of toothpaste (not keeping it all for me)
2 baby gifts (not disclosed for obvious reasons)

Spent $32.81
Saved $48.14

*FYI- Not included in totals are items not on sale. Also, six of the toothpastes were free.

Flat Out 5k

On Saturday, July 9, I ran the Flat Out 5k. I've entered it a few times and try to keep it on my calendar each year. This year's race featured dogs from the animal shelter. Thankfully, several dogs ended up being adopted that day. A few also spent time out at PetSmart and increased the shelter's visibility. It was a fun race and I look forward to running it next year. A lot of runners from the Greenville Running Group and Greenville Organization of runners participated. Thanks to Bill Peery for taking this picture:

State Farmer's Market

Over Independence Day weekend, my family and I headed to the State Farmer's Market. We got several things, most of which we enjoyed over the weekend. My brother bought a mini potted cactus. Here are a few sights from our trip.

Porter Reunion

The weekend of Kristin's wedding, I also attended a family reunion. My late great-grandmother, Mimi, was a Porter. The descendents of her and her siblings gather each June. We meet at Salemburg Baptist Church (Sampson County). Some of the folks from our side attended for the first time in a while. Some of them live out-of-state and we see them infrequently. It was nice to see people under happy circumstances. My great-uncle from Florida flew up. His children surprised him with a plane ticket for Father's Day. My cousin, Debbie and her husband, Richard, drove out from New Mexico. Debbie's father was my late great-uncle. She promised him that she would come this year. My parents and siblings were able to attend. From our side: Daddy, Mama, Brittany, Christian, Matt, Brooke (and 2 kids), Janice, Great-Uncle Pee-Wee, Anthony, Carol, Taylor, Carol, Kelly, Eric, Emily, Memaw, Papaw, Doug, Ann, Lola, Vicki, Ashli, Phyllis and I represented Mimi's branch of the family. Our dear family friend, Robbie Ann, was also there. Enjoy a few pictures from the event. The first is with great-uncle Pee-Wee. He looks just like my great-grandmother. The second one is with my cousin, Ashli. We're hoping to meet up when I'm in Wilmington this month. After the reunion, some of us, had an extra reunion at Doug and Ann's house. Another family member and her sister's boyfriend were there. It was a big crowd all day and it was nice to see everyone.

Kristin and Warren= Happily Ever After

My sister's best friend recently married Warren. Their ceremony was at First United Methodist in Morehead City. Everything was really unique. They rode to the reception in a streetcar from Beaufort. The reception was outside at the waterfront home of a family member. At the reception, they had a candy bar set up. Guests could choose the candies they wanted and put them in a bag to take home. There was also a chocolate fountain. The meal was catered from Smithfields. Yep, the chicken and barbeque folks. It was also yummy and was accompanied by a few fancy treats. Bottle drinks were in an old wooden boat. Speaking of boats, Warren and Kristin left on one. I (sort of) caught the bouquet. A few of the younger male guest wanted to participate. The three of us headed to the ground for it. As the rightful female winner ;), he was kind enough to hand it over. From the ceremony to the reception, everything was really pretty. Best wishes to the new Mr. and Mrs. Lupton!

This Week's Savings :)

I spent $17.30 on four toothbrushes, two toothpastes, one dish detergent, 2 boxes of pasta, one box of broth, three shampoos and one conditioner. One of the shampoos, the conditioner, all of the toothbrushes and the dish detergent were free (not counting tax, of course). I saved $35.69 (48%)! I received $3 in Register Rewards and $2 in Extra Care Bucks. I already used the ECB on the dish detergent. For my $17.30, I got $52.99 worth of product! Praise God! :)

2011 Road Race Plans

My race plans for the remainder of 2011:

May
Bright Night 5k- Done!

June
Race for the Cure 5k- Done!
Flat Out 5k- Done!

August
Greenville-Pitt County 8k

October
Emerald City Half-Marathon

November
Outer Banks Marathon

December
Reindeer Dash for Cash 10-Miler

www.runtheeast.com, www.ecrun.org, www.ncraces.com, www.obxmarathon.com, www.komennctriangle.org, www.brightnight5k.com

In loving memory of Willa Williams

My great-aunt, Willa Naylor Williams, died on Saturday, April 16, 2011. The Naylor family had nine children. Six of those children lived to be adults. In recent years, Aunt Willa lived in a nursing home. I am grateful that she and her husband were there together. I am sad for him, as he has lost his life's partner and best friend. He will be so lonely, I'm afraid. She was a sweet lady with a precious face. I know that Mimi and Pops are glad to have their little girl in Heaven with them. I never met Pops, but I know that his family must have been so precious to him. My grandmother and her two remaining siblings have now lost two siblings in less than a year.

Race list and results

For posterity, I made a list of races that I've done. It's also interesting to see how I've developed as a runner. Of course, there will always be someone faster. Trying to keep up with them is helping my speed. We'll just call it ''unofficial speedwork.'' :)

Race for the Cure 5k (June 2008)- 39 minutes and some change, best I can remember.
Flat Out 5k (June 2008)- 41:49
Casey's Race 5k (September 2008)- 37:30
Outer Banks 1/2 marathon (November 2008)- 2:59:19
Reindeer Dash for Cash 10-miler (December 2008)- 2:18:33
Lace up for a Cure 5k (February 2009)- 39:15
Young Life 5k (March 2009)- 37:36
Zebulon Chamber of Commerce 5k (June 2009)- 34:57
Run for the Booty 5k (October 2009)- 34:00
Outer Banks 1/2 marathon (November 2009)- 2:40:36
Reindeer Dash for Cash 10-miler (December 2009)- 1:56:14
Washington Noon Rotary Club 10k (February 2010)- 1:02:02 (measuring error caused the course to be a little shorter than 6.2)
Tobacco Road 1/2 marathon (March 2010)- 2:41:12
Live Healthy Greenville 5k (May 2010)
Bright Night 5k (May 2010)- 32:55?
Race for the Cure (June 2010)-
AJ 5K (June 2010)
Flat Out 5k (June 2010)
Greenville-Pitt County 8k (August 2010)
Run for the Booty 1/2 marathon (October 2010)
Outer Banks 8k (November 2010)- 55:32
Outer Banks 1/2 marathon (November 2010)- 2:33:14.94
Reindeer Dash for Cash 10-miler (December 2010)
NHL All-Star 5k (January 2011)- 31:22
Tobacco Road 1/2 marathon (March 2011)- 2:28:27
Run for Autism 5k (April 2011)
Tar Heel 10-miler (April 2011)- 1:53:38
Bright Night 5k: 31:48

Tobacco Road Half-Marathon: Race Report

The race was this morning, starting from the USA National Baseball Training Complex . Due to some late shuttle buses, the start was delayed. Before we started, I spotted a few friends from church. As a whole, the race went incredibly smooth. It also went by very fast. I was part of the 2.5 hour pace group. While I eventually lost the group (and it's balloon carrying leader), I still finished in 2.5 hours (just under). Since we were aiming for 2 hours, 30 minutes, he called us the ''dirty thirty.'' The route had a turnaround point, so I had a chance to see my friends, Scott and April. They both did great. It was April's first one and she kicked butt! Just before mile 10, I decided that a walk break would be really helpful. I kept talking myself out of it before that, but I knew that it would give me a burst of energy. Between 10/11, 11/12, 12/13. That totals around four minutes of walking for the whole race. I was excited to make that kind of progress, walking less than usual. My final results were 2:28:27 with a pace of 10:31.

This weekend, I am running the Tobacco Road Half-Marathon. It was a great race last year and I'm looking forward to running it again. I plan to hang with the 2.5 hour pace group. That's a pretty doable pace for me. Several runners from my church will be there, which will be a nice morale booster. The course is set up so there is a turnaround point. Whether people are in front of or behind me, I will get the chance to see them. I've conned my dad into giving me a ride out there. Thanks, Daddy! The front of my medal will look like the one above. The back won't have personalized information unless people pay. Results to follow! :)

Lent

I have given up Facebook for Lent. I did this last year as well. It was a very refreshing change. I can be contacted by cell or e-mail. No text messages please.

Superbowl party

A couple in my Sunday School group hosted the party. We had a loaded baked potato bar with all kinds of toppings...pulled pork, chili, sour cream, cheese, salsa...YUM! We also had several kinds of desserts, including chocolate, football-shaped Rice Krispy Treats. Toddlers, grown-ups, tons of food...quite a social! My team lost, but life goes on. Jessica does a great job planning socials. I'm already looking forward to the next one. Our class has a great time together.

NHL All-Stars 5k

In case you've been living under a rock, the NHL-All Star game was last weekend. Along with the festivities, a 5k race was held at the RBC center. My sister encouraged me to run it and I got the flyer in the mail...what the hey! It was a pretty cold morning, but the race staff let everyone wait inside before the race. I got a super-cool long-sleeved tee and a finisher medal...I'm getting quite the shirt collection. The course was a bit hilly for this girl, but I tried not to let hills get the best of me. I was pleased to find out that I ran my fastest time for a 5k(I PR'd, in running lingo). My time was 31:22 (mile pace of 10:07). I saw several people who ran the Ridgewood Turkey Trot 8k (they were wearing the shirts). Great weather and great race!

2011 Book List

I've just checked another title off and I'm excited to re-post my list. I'm looking forward to reading more this year than in 2010.

Spirituality
A Case for Faith by Lee Strobel
Practicing His Presence
Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
Inside Out by Larry Crabb
The Feminist Mistake: The Radical Impact of Feminisim
Questioning Evangelism (using questions as a form of sharing your faith)
From Clutter to Clarity: Simplying Life from the Inside Out
Womanly Dominion: More than a Gentle and Quiet Spirit
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis
Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Secrets of Mary Magdalene

Missionary Stories
Evidence Not Seen: A Woman's Miraculous Faith in the Jungles of World War II (CURRENTLY READING)

Household topics
Shopper's Guide to Natural Foods (STOPPED ON P. 26)
The Maker's Diet by Jordan Rubin
Nourishing Traditions

Novels/Classics
Anne of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery (DONE)
Anne of the Island
The Choice by Nicholas Sparks
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
Joshua and the Children

Prayer Needed

Please pray for my (great) Uncle Haywood. He is currently at UNC being treated for a brain aneurysm. They did an angiogram. It went well. The doctors don't think that he will have further bleeding. However, they can't do anything about the bleeding that is already there. He is still in critical condition. Two of his children are from out of state. He has a son in Texas (coming Tuesday) and a daughter in New Mexico (already here).

Bonfire/cookout/smore's roast

Disclaimer: This is a web image, not one of our actual fire.

Just look at the title. That was a pretty full night. We had a blast. We had beaten the guys at Taboo and they were in charge of planning the social. We played on a regular basis before Sunday School and kept track of the score. They grilled burgers and hot dogs before we roasted marshmallows for SMORE'S...yum! Reese's cup for your smore's, anyone? Try it sometime. A family at church has a farm in Pitt County and they let us use the yard for our social. They're very generous with letting the church use it for activities. Thanks to ''Nana and Pops'' for being so hospitable. Anyway...the guys really kept the fire going. We stayed quite warm on a pretty chilly night. Nice job, fellas!

Blog break- over!

Since I'm feeling a bit puny, this is the perfect time to catch up on blogging. I'll give a brief rundown of life these days and then make more regular posts from now on. Here we go...

-Training for my next half-marathon is going very well. Sunday morning runs (the few I've been to so far), have been very beneficial. They are called ''long slow distances'' and really are slow enough to be manageable. I look forward to continuing with this group.
-My Bible study group and community group (Sunday school) are fun and a blessing. Our class is having a bonfire/smores/cookout this Friday night. Our women's Bible study will soon begin ''Living your Life as a Beautiful Offering'' by Angela Thomas. Also, I continue to be involved in our technical ministries team. It's fun to rock it a bit in the tech booth...I love bopping around to the music.
-Work is picking up now that Christmas break is over. Sometimes, I can only handle small doses of the kids, but it's still a great job. I am thankful to have this job for a guaranteed amount of time and to have such great benefits.
-My cat is still quite the cuddle bunny and I really enjoy her company. The funniest thing with her right now is the excitement over hearing the can opener. It doesn't matter what I am opening, she thinks that it's fish.

That's life in a nutshell! Check back soon for more about my happenings.